Closure latch and lock



Oct. 2, 1934.

` W. P. HOWLAND CLOSURE LATCH AND LOCK Filed May 29, 1955 INVENTOR I WwW/,P0P E #an/MWD.

ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 2, 1934 UirED STATESv ,PATENT 01.Ii-FICE" Winthrop P. Howland, Pacific BeaclnCalif.`

Application May 29, 1933, Serial No.'673,362f

5 Claims.

My invention relates to closure latches and locks, and the objects of my invention are;

First, to provide a device of this class which is particularly adapted for corrals, pastures, or other enclosures adapted to restrain animals;

Second, to provide a'device of 'this class which is so arranged that it may be readily opened or closed without the use of a key, yet cannotbe manipulated by an animal as is often the case with conventional gate latches;

Third, to provide a device of this class which is so arranged that a key locking unit may be incorporated therein; f

Fourth, to provide a device of this class which may be installed on swinging gates as well as slide gates without changing or altering its parts; and

Fifth, to provide on the whole a novelly constructed closure latch and lock which is durable, efcient in its action, particularly simple of construction, economical of manufacture, and which will not readily deteriorate' or get out of order.

With these. and otherl objects in view as will appear hereinafter, my invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts and portions as will be hereinafter described in detail'and'particularly set forth 4in. the appended claims, reference being had'to the accompanying drawingv and to the characters of reference thereon which form a part of this application, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational View of my closure latch and lock with parts and portions broken away or removed to facilitate the illustration; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View thereof through 2 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a similar longi tudinal sectionalview through 3 3 oi Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional View through 4 4 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a similar sectional view through v5 5 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 6 is an elevational View of the keeper member.

Similar characters of reference refer to similar parts and portions throughout the several views of the drawing.

Casing members 1, main latch bar 2, journal pin -3, keeper 4, catch lever 5, journal pin 6, catch bar '7, keeper lever 8, journal pin 9, tension springs 10 and 11; guard 12, and key locking unit 13 constitute the principal parts of my novel closure latch and lock.

A pair of flat oblong casing members 1 are provided which are complementary and are held together by screws 1a. The casing members define a chamber 1b which is relatively flat and intersects the opposite ends of the casing members by means of slits 1c and 1d.

(ci. vri-2m V A main latch bar 2 fits within thechamber 1a and protrudes from the slits 1c and 1d. AThe latch bar 2 is journaled within the casingv members 1V on a journal pin 3. The arm, designated 2d off the bar 2 which protrudes through the slit 1c is provided with a' transversely disposedV pin `2bl which forms a pair of bosses protruding in'opp'osite directions and laterally from the latch bar 2.

This end of the latch bar and the pin" 2bare adapted to co-act in akeeper The keeper 4 is substantially square in section anddisposed with'its longitudinal axis vertical.v Atthe'forward side facing the latch bar 2 and yalso intersecting its lateral side, there' is formed in the keeper 4 a recess 4a which is rst directed in- 'r forming with the recessV 4a a pair of dependingY P porjections 4c. The arm 2a of the latch bar is adapted to fit in the slot 4h' between the projections 4c while the pin 2b is'adapt'ed to yt inthe recess 4a behind the projections 4c.- With this arrangement the latch may loeusedv to restrain the latch bar against both forward, that is axial movement, with respect to the latch bar or lateral movement thereof; thus the device may `be used on swinging gates or sliding gates without changing the construction. To facilitate mounting the, keeper for both types of gates, the upper! andA lower extremitiesare provided with right angularly disposed intersecting aperturesv 4d whereby the keeper may be secured byjits'rear side or by one lateral side.

The other arm, designated 2c, of the main latch member 2 protrudes through the slot 1d and forms a handle portion 2d at its protruding end. The arm 2c is provided with a longitudinally extending slot therein, designated 2e, intersecting the upper and lower edges respectively of the main latch bar as shown in Fig. 1. The slot 2e forms a chamber or housing for a catch lever 5. The catch lever 5 extends with the latch bar 2 into the casing 1, and is provided at its inner upper portion with a bearing portion 5a through which extends a journal pin 6 secured in the latch bar 2. Below the journal pin 6 the latch bar 2 is notched as indicated by 2f so as to clear a catch bar 7 supported between the members of the casing 1. The catch lever 5 is provided with a hook portion 5b which overhangs the catch bar '7 so as to engage the same when the main latch bar 2 is in its secured position shown by solid lines in Fig. 1. Below the catch portion 5b the catch lever 5 is provided with a projection 5c.

Journaled within the casing members 1 on a pin 9 is a keeper lever 8. The keeper lever 8 includes an arm 8a which terminates in a hook portion 8b adapted to engage and interlock With the projection 5c; The keeper lever 8 also includes an arm 8c which protrudes from the casing members 1 through the lower portions of the slot 1d.

From the inner end of the catch lever 5, said lever extends outwardly along the slit 2e and terminates inV a knob in the form of a flat upwardly projecting portion 5d which protrudes beyond the upper edge of the lever 2 so it may be engaged and depressed. Over the knob portion'd the latch bar 2 is provided with a guard 12.

Mounted within the slit 2c is a spring 10 preferably a leaf spring disposed so as to bear upwardly on the extended outer end of the catch lever so as to hold the knob 5d in its protruding relation with the latch bar 2. Another tension spring 11 is supported from the casing members 1 in any suitable manner so as to bear against the arm 8a of the keeper lever 8 whereby said keeper lever tends to interlock with the projection 5c.

The extended end of the latch bar 2 receives a key locking unit 13. The key locking unit 13 includes a key operated bolt 13a which is adapted to be fitted in the slot 2e and engage the under side of the catch'lever 5 so that the catch lever cannot be depressed.

Operation of my closure latch and lock is as follows: The keeper lever 8 is rst shifted to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 1, whereupon the catch lever 5 may be shifted to its dotted line position free of the catch bar 7. When this is done, the main latch bar may be rotated to its dotted line shown in Fig. l, thereby disengaging the arm 2a and the pin 2b from the keeper 4. It will noted that operation of the keeper lever 8 alone will not release the main latch bar nor can the catch lever 5 be operated until the keeper lever 8 is first shifted.

It should be understood, of course, that the bolt 13a of the key locking unit must be Withdrawn rst before the other members may be operated. Normally the key locking unit 13 is not used.

Though I have shown and described a particular construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions, I do not wish to be limited to this particular construction, combination, and arrangement, but desire to include in the scope of my invention the construction, combination and arrangement substantially as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: Y

l. In a closure latch and lock, a casing, a latch bar carried thereby, arranged to engage a keeper, and a securing mechanism carried by said latch bar and casing for securing said latch bar in position for engagement with said keeper, 'said securing mechanism including a pair of interlocking lever elements disposed so as to require shifting in predetermined order to effect a release of said latch bar. Y'

Y2. In a closure latch and lock, a casing, a latch bar carried thereby, arranged to engage a keeper, and a securing mechanism carried by said latch bar and casing for securing said latch bar in position for engagement with said keeper, and a key responsive unit mounted on said latch bar arranged to lock said securing mechanism in a position to secure said latch bar.

3. In a closure latch and lock, a casing, a

latch bar carried thereby, arranged to engage aY keeper, and a securing mechanism carried by said latch bar and casing for securing said latch bar in position for engagement with said keeper, said securing mechanism including a pair of interlccking lever elements disposed so as to require shifting in predeterminedforder to effect a release of said latch bar, and a key responsive unit arranged to lock one of said lever elements to prevent shifting of said latch bar.

4. In a closure latch and lock, a casing, a latch bar journaled therein including a catch portion protruding from one end of said casing to engage a keeper, and a handle portion protruding from the other end of said casing, a catch lever journaled in said latch bar, means carried by said casing and engageable by said catch lever whereby said latch bar is secured in a position for co-action with its keeper, and an element arranged to engage said catch lever for holding the same in co-active relation with said means, whereby release. of said latch bar requires both release of said element'and said catch lever.

5. The combination with a latch casing, latch bar, and keeper, therefor, of a securing mechanism including, a catch lever journaled in said latch bar, means carried by said casing and engageable by said catch lever whereby said latch bar is secured in a position for co-action with its keeper, and an element arranged to engage said catch lever for holding the same in co-active relation With said means, whereby release of said latch bar requires both release of said element and said catch lever.

WINTHROP P. HOWLAND. 

